


Make Me Happy, And I Shall Again Be Virtuous

by Forgotten_Lighthouse_Of_Flowers



Series: Eyes of Silk and Paper [1]
Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Body Horror, Cane User Jonathan Sims, Corruption!Jon, Gen, Interviews, It’s mild, Kinda, Moths, Mottephobia, Original Female Character(s) - Freeform, Pre-Season/Series 01, Right from the get go this is an AU, She only appears briefly - Freeform, it's complicated - Freeform, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-03-29
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:14:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,574
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23382154
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Forgotten_Lighthouse_Of_Flowers/pseuds/Forgotten_Lighthouse_Of_Flowers
Summary: Something had entered the Institute.
Relationships: Elias Bouchard & Jonathan Sims
Series: Eyes of Silk and Paper [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1685167
Comments: 22
Kudos: 204





	Make Me Happy, And I Shall Again Be Virtuous

**Author's Note:**

> The first in what could possibly become a series? I don't know, I had a thought and rolled with it, thus moths!  
> (Title is a quote from ‘Frankenstein’)

Something had entered the Institute. 

The Eye saw it the second it stepped through the main entrance, and followed it as it walked through the foyer with a brisk and confident stride. Elias realised at that moment, that he could see it, but couldn’t _See_ it. It was a shifting mass, one that took on the vague shape of a person for one moment, and burst into a thousand smaller shapes the next. It switched between the two constantly, making it harder to pin and Understand. Elias bristled and set off out of his office like a bullet, ready to face whatever manner of monster had dared enter the Beholding’s sanctuary. 

He didn’t run, but his footsteps were fast and heavy with an anticipation that echoed in the ancient halls, like a pounding heartbeat. The appropriateness of that statement was not lost to him, but he didn’t have the mind to dwell on it at the time. 

The Eye led him downstairs and into the office where interviews were conducted. Elias’s brow furrowed further, for he knew there was in fact an interview scheduled for that time, which meant this was a purposeful infiltration. The name of the interviewee couldn’t be made Known to him either, which only roused his suspicion. 

He opened the office door with no hesitation and too much force, making it bang against the wall. Elizabeth Matthews (or Liz as her friends called her), who had been ready to conduct the interview, jumped in her seat. Her eyes flew to the door and her eyebrows raised in both surprise and suspicion as she took in Elias standing there. Sitting on the opposite side of the desk was a figure - deceptively human shaped - which didn’t turn to face him, or make any movements whatsoever. 

“Mr Bouchard!” Elizabeth finally managed out, “is something the matter?” 

Elias straightened out his previously rattled looking posture, smoothing over the sense of urgency. He gave her a smile that didn’t meet the rest of his features. 

“No Elizabeth everything is fine, however due to some private circumstances, I will have to take over conducting this interview myself. That shouldn’t be problem no?” 

Elizabeth looked rather confused as expected, but shook her head with a polite, “no sir.”

She collected her own materials and left the office, only turning around to look back once, but giving no further comment. Elias shut the door after her, and the second he heard the click of the inner mechanism, his expression steeled. The creature still had not moved and proceeded in its stillness when he took the vacant seat. 

He finally managed to get a good look at the creature. It had the form of a regular man, with dark olive skin, sunken brown eyes set behind a pair of thin, rectangular glasses, and black hair reaching to the mid back, left loose and threaded with grey. Maybe in someone else those features would have looked quite stunning, but despite that the thing’s overall appearance could be described as rather haggard. Propped against the side of his chair was a what had once been black cane, now worn to a dull grey with use.

“Elias Bouchard?” the creature asked in a voice that was far too human for Elias’s liking. 

“Yes that would be me, and now may I ask _what_ are you, and what purpose do you have for infiltrating my Institute?” 

The creature arched its eyebrow. 

“Can’t you See, sir?” 

“Your presence causes some unwanted complications, and I’d rather you not stall,” Elias snarled. 

“Right,” the creature sighed, “being fair Mr Bouchard, I cannot say what I am, because I do not know. I have spent a lot of time seeking answers to that very question, and I had hoped that I would find answers here. But it seems I baffle the Eye just as much as any of the others.” 

Elias wouldn’t allow himself to admit it, but he was a bit taken aback by the declaration, he placed his elbows on the desk and placed his mouth against the interlocked fingers curiously. The creature continued. 

“I have been told by others that I resemble something of the Corruption, but ‘incomplete’ or ‘unclaimed’, ‘blocked off’, ‘stuck in an unfulfilled limbo’ and the likes. And I think that’s an accurate way of putting it. Quite the- Quite the a wretched existence it is."

“It is to my knowledge that being in any way affiliated with the Filth sing praises of unity and ‘love’,” Elias cut in. 

It was right for the creature to wince, all do under the full scrutiny of the Eye. 

“So I’ve heard, yet I don’t- I’ve never felt it. I feel almost the same since before I… changed, but more h-hollow. Incomplete. Like there’s supposed to be me, my- my hive and something else. I came here to see if I could get answers.” 

“I see,” Elias muses, leaning back. This did clear up his issue with Seeing the thing. 

“You say you have a ‘hive’? May I see?” 

The creature slumped in its seat slightly, but raised a hand to the back of its neck, pushing away its hair and making a sort of clamping motion against the exposed flesh. When its hand retreated, there was a small brown insect nestled in its palm. Upon closer inspection it recognised the insect as an Eyed Hawk Moth. 

“And there’s an entire colony of these?” came Elias’s response.

The creature nodded as the moth fluttered out of its palm and landed on its collar, before crawling back behind its neck. 

“How did you end up like this?”

A hint of compulsion laced his voice. It wasn’t his strongest skill, Knowledge simply existed within his mind when he needed it, it was only precautionary. Whether the creature realised this or not, it gave no indication, and comfortably began to spiel its tale. Elias listened intently, lapping up the information and feeding off its emotions. The Eye provided images of a terrified youth screaming out as he is fed to a swarm of larvae desperate to find a home. 

Once it was done, Elias gave a satisfied inhale. While it was not his main source of sustenance, there was nothing that really hit the same as a good statement. The creature itself looked rather spent, as they normally do, and Elias could see tears prickling at the corner of its eyes. 

Elias turned to the Eye then, seeking answers to what his next move should be. The Eye responded promptly, and while the look on the man’s face showed pity, all Elias felt was the wonderful sensation of opportunity. 

“I do not hold all the answers you seek,” he began, “but I have a theory. From what you have described, you have been physically transformed by one of the Entities, but have formed no tie to it, this causing the “incompleteness” described. You came here for a job so that you may begin research into your condition correct? I can give you that, and moreso I may even offer you a solution.” 

The creature looked at him, desperate, hopeful. Elias smiled. 

“Become a true servant of the Eye, and our Patron will fill this void you feel. And in the meantime all the Institute’s resources will be at your disposal, we can help you find the answers you seek.” 

The creature looked contemplative for a moment with eyes slight downcast and thoughtful, but Elias saw through the ruse. He had cast his bait and did not need to wait to reel in his catch. 

“I take it you care not for my CV?” it asked

A chuckle passed between them. 

“No, I do not think credentials are important here anymore, with the rather unique case that this is.”

“Where do I sign?” 

Elias flashed a pleasant expression without showing the predatory sense of victory he felt. Opening the manilla folder Elizabeth had left behind, he produced a form and offered a pen with it. 

The creature filled in the details with a shaky but sure manner. It did not hesitate to return the signed sheet, and Elias took it with pleasure. 

“You’ll be receiving an email tonight with any relevant information but feel free to respond with any further inquiries. Your day starts tomorrow at eight where you’ll receive formal introductions to the workplace. I think that will be all.” 

Elias outstretched his hand, and the creature took it before shaking with a nervous grip. But there was obvious relief on its face. 

They stood, the creature taking the cane with a motion that was obviously muscle memory at this point. Elias took all the relevant paperwork with him and saw it it out. 

“I’ll be seeing you then Mr. Bouchard?” the creature asked at the door. 

“Yes, I presume you will. Good day,” Elias responded, applying his normal curt tone.

“To you too.”

The creature set off down the steps and away out of his normal sight. Elias could Follow it now, should he wish to, but thought better of it and started making his way back to his office. Once there he took another look at the contract. In the back of his head he was already mulling over the idea of seeing the creature not as such, but as a man. A he, not an it. 

The signature at the bottom of the contract read, _Jonathan Sims._

The Eye had plans for this one. 

**Author's Note:**

> Spare a kudos or comment maybe?


End file.
